Keys to the offseason for the Tampa Bay Lightning
Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski of ESPN: Looking at some of the questions and decisions the Tampa Bay Lightning will be faced with this offseason.
Make free-agent decisions on the defense corps – Mikhail Sergachev is an RFA, and Erik Cernak, Luke Schenn, Jan Rutta, Zach Bogosian and Kevin Shattenkirk are UFAs. They might be in the market for a cheaper veteran Dman or two.
Deal with the flat cap – Anthony Cirelli is also an RFA, and with $5.3 million in salary cap space, they’ll need to make some moves. Trade candidates include Tyler Johnson (full no-trade) and Alex Killorn (16-team NTC).
Get Steven Stamkos healthy – Stamkos basically missed the entire playoffs. Has been dealing with an undisclosed issue since last training camp.
Devils would be interested in Alex Pietrangelo
Neal McHale: Darren Dreger on TSN 1040 on the New Jersey Devils/Alex Pietrangelo tampering allegation (Fitzgerald’s comment below): “You’re not supposed to do that. It’s slip of the tongue. I doubt anything comes of it but you never know….I don’t know it qualifies as tampering, but you’re not supposed to do it.”
The Fourth Period: The New Jersey Devils have some available cap space – over $26.2 million – and could use free agency to try and improve. Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald told NHL.com (original article taking down) that they would be interested in top UFA defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.
“If Alex Pietrangelo became a free agent … he’s a franchise-turning player, a champion, captain, leader with character. If the agent called me, I’m taking it up (to Devils managing partners) Josh Harris and David Blitzer and the pros on why, even at this stage where we’re at, where it can take us,” Fitzgerald said.
“Do I anticipate that happening? I can’t answer that. Maybe he stays in St. Louis. However, we need to fill some holes and if I can do it through hockey trades, great. If I can do it through cap space, great. If I need to do it through a free agent or two, then we’ll go that route, but we have some holes and I need to fill them.”
Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood is basically their only significant free agent. Kyle Palmieri is entering the final year of his deal and they have already held some talks.